Different
by dream.for.a.dream
Summary: Human but a bit different. Related to one of the Tenteis and the mission of another. Will any of them be able to discover what Emna saw so different in her?
1. His mission, Her question

_**Disclaimer: Let's start with the important things. I DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS OF YU YU HAKUSHO OR ANYTHING RELATED TO THEM. I however own Erika, her parents and the PLOT OF THIS STORY. please do not use any of MY characters without asking first. **_

_**Author's Note: Now, on to the next things. I will not bother you with my rambling, too much. I just want to ask you to read and leave a review telling me if I should or should not update anymore. I just wanna know if it's worth anything.**_

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**Now, on with the story...**

_**Different**_

_**Chapter 1: His mission, her question**_

He looked at her petite form. He had seen girls more beautiful than her, but there was something that she held in her eyes that made him stay in the tree where he was at the moment and not run to Reikai and give the toddler a piece of his mind, or in this case, a piece of his fist. He felt like he could watch her for years and years and never get bored. His eyes were glued on her. She was staying Indian style on the round creamy rug from her room, right in the middle of it. She kept her hands on the rug, in a line with her upper body, as if she wanted to keep herself steady, despite the fact that she was lazily rocking back and fort. Her eyes were glued on the wall in front of her and she didn't seem to have a care in the world. Her brown hair rested lazily on her shoulders and her rather long bangs rounded her face. Her lips were slightly parted and her breathes even.

He had no idea why she made him feel so at ease, so peaceful.

_Flashback_

_A dark figure walked through the halls of Reikai's Palace. His three-colored, gravity-defying hair, his piercing, void of any emotion, dark crimson eyes and his black clothes made him seem the perfect killer. Maybe he was. No one really knew._

_Two doors opened in front of him and he stepped inside the toddler ruler's office._

"_Hello, Hiei" the prince, now in his teenager form, greeted the dark figure._

"_Hn"_

"_I am glad you came. Please have a seat"_

_The man, now known as Hiei, ignored the Prince's request and simply stood in front of the desk, his hands in his pockets._

"_I have a mission for you"_

"_Why didn't you call the Detective?" Hiei's voice was clear, deep and it didn't betray his feelings. At all._

"_Yusuke wouldn't be able to fulfill it. You are the only one who can take this mission, Hiei" the Prince answered looking in a file._

"_Hn"_

"_Very well. I want you to watch over this girl" the Prince said and a picture appeared out of nowhere, suspended in thin air. A girl, not older than 15, sitting Indian style on a creamy rug with her arms in her lap, reading a book and rocking her body back and fort. She had thick, chocolate brown hair that reached only to her shoulders, and slightly long bangs that rounded her face, ending a little below her chin. Her eyes weren't visible._

"_Her name is Erika" the Prince explained._

"_Who is she?" Hiei asked._

"_A human" _

_Hiei almost rolled his eyes. Why would Koemna, the Prince, ask him to watch over a pathetic human girl?_

"_What's so special about her?" Hiei asked in a mocking voice. He really wasn't in the mood of taking care of human children._

"_Nothing" the answer came as if it were the most obvious thing._

"_Then why?"_

"_Because she is different"_

_Hiei wasn't satisfied. Why would Koemna want him to watch over a human that was only 'different'?_

"_Why?" Hiei repeated his question. He received the same answer before silence fell upon the two. Crimson eyes glared at brown orbs. _

"_I am not going to baby-sit a human" Hiei said gruffly._

"_You are not baby-sitting her. She is not to know of your existence. My father sensed something different about her and he wanted me to find out what. We've been digging in her past and her family's past, but found nothing special. All her family is plainly normal, except for her. She's the one that's different. Call her their black sheep, but her parents think she's the apple of their eyes" Koemna detailed._

"_Hn. Isn't every family supposed to have someone different in it?" Hiei asked._

"_Yes, I agree with you, but my father wanted me to find out what is that he sensed at her, and all my other resources had been used. The only option left is for someone to watch her daily routines, see how she's like and what she does. Every week come and report back. Botan will show you where she lives"_

_As if on cue, said ferry girl appeared through the doors. She was wearing her usual pink kimono and her cerulean hair was up in its normal ponytail, while her amethyst eyes shined._

"_Hello, Hiei, Koemna-sama" she greeted the two offering each a smile. _

"_Botan, show Hiei where Erika lives" Koemna instructed and as the two were about to leave through the door, the Prince called out to the fire demon. "I do believe you know you are NOT to lose sight of her, right?"_

"_Hn" was the answer and the fire demon vanished out the doors of Koemna's office._

_End flashback_

There had been a few weeks since he started watching over her. The first day he was really reluctant. He didn't like acting as if he was baby-sitting the goddamn human, but, in a few days he learnt a little about her.

Animals fascinated her and her room would always have some kind of music in the background. Some days it would be hard rock, other days, classic musicals.

He had seen her parents. Kind people that lived in their own little world. He had seen how much they loved her and he had seen how much she loved them. He hadn't seen her without a smile while she was nearby them. She'd always be happy for them, even if deep inside she wasn't.

There was, however, a moment in the day when, in a way, she'd disconnect with the world. And that moment was when she would stay on the creamy rug, fix a point on the wall, and let herself think of everything and also nothing at all. And Hiei, the boy in the tree, watched her disconnect from the world.

He heard the door to her room crack open, and her mother peeked in smiling. Instantly the girl smiled back, returning to this world.

"Honey? Dinner's ready" her mother announced and the girl nodded, getting up.

Weirdly enough, for her family, dinner was either at 8, in rare cases, or after 9. Right now it was half past nine.

He watched her follow her mother and close the door to her room. He vanished from the tree only to reappear in one right beside their kitchen. Luckily, outside was pitch-black darkness and no passer-bys that would randomly look at the 8th floor of an apartment building, could see him.

He saw her sit at the table with her parents and eating. She was eating green olives. In the first week he'd watch over her he had learned that those things were her favorite food, or at least what she ate most. Sometimes she'd eat green olives with cheese, but he'd never seen her eat anything else for dinner. It wasn't that she was obsessed with her weight. She just didn't like eating. He had no idea why.

He saw her lips moving and he strained his ears to hear what she was saying.

"So...can I go?" she asked her mother.

"Hm..." her mother seemed to think. Somehow, he knew she'd agree. Her mother usually agreed with things her daughter wanted.

"Please mom? I promise it'd be okay" the girl asked again.

"Where is it again?" her mother asked.

"It's at a cottage in the woods. We planned a sleepover there and some exploring" the girl explained.

"Sleepover?" her father asked, a smirk on his face and an eyebrow raised.

"Yes, dad, **sleepover**" she explained again, her voice jokingly annoyed. She had obviously understood what the man implied.

"Honey, I do hope you will only be sleeping, right?" her mother asked concerned. The girl almost choked with an olive.

"Of course! What'd you think we'd do?" she asked them.

"Nothing" her parents answered smiling.

"Jeez" she whined smiling. She was obviously joking around.

"Well, who'll be taking you there?" her father asked.

"We'll meet at the entrance in the forest. I suppose I could either walk until there, or mom could take me" the girl answered seriously.

"Hm, okay than. I'll take you there" the mother finally stated and the girl smiled broadly, obviously pleased. "But, I want you to have your phone turned on all the time" her mother added and the girl nodded, now grinning.

"And when we call you, you'd better **hear **the goddamn phone" her father threatened smiling as his daughter nodded, making a "Yes, Sir" sign.

As they ate her father switched the TV-program, making both his wife and daughter groan.

"What? You should learn to watch more movies at a time and catch the essential from all" he explained matter-of-factly making his daughter laugh. Hiei found out he liked the sound of her laugh. So carefree and happy. It sounded a little like the ferry girl's, but also different.

After eating, the family went into the living room and sat on the couch. The father turned the TV on, on an action movie.

"Daddy?" the girl asked as she and her mother cuddled next to the father.

"Hm?" her father said giving her his full attention as he placed his right arm around her shoulder and his left around his wife.

"What's the movie about?"

"That lady in blue wants to take over that ship and she kinda did so. See that man in a white shirt? And the woman in a crimson dress?" when his daughter nodded, the man went on, "They'll save the day"

"Oh, does anyone die?" the girl asked, slightly fearful.

"Only the bad guys"

As a gunfire was heard from the TV, Hiei heard the girl whimper. He saw her squirm into her father's side even more. Another thing Hiei had found out about her in the short time he had been watching her was that she was easily scared when it came to others but never frightened for herself. It was an odd thing if you'd ask him.

A character in the movie yelled "You demon" as some random guy shot another random guy. Hiei shook his head. He'd never understand movies. Then he heard the girl's voice.

"Dad? Mom?" two pairs of eyes went on her and, unknowingly to her, another pair gave her their full attention.

"Do you believe in demons?"

It was a simple question, with two simple answers: "yes" or "no" but Hiei felt there was something more behind the question. Being the not-so-patient person he was and having next-to-none means to find out from the girl herself, he opened his third eye and silently slipped into her mind.

He hadn't expected to find any problems. He'd just go in, get the answer, and get out. It seemed simple to him, but, there was one little problem. He couldn't find any thoughts inside the girl's head. He thought this weird thing happened only when she'd have her "disconnecting-from-the-world" moments, but it seemed he had been wrong.

The girl had asked a question and was momentarily thinking of, you guessed it, nothing. Hiei was, to say the least, surprised. He hadn't found in his entire life a demon, much less a human, with such an ability. He continued to search her mind but found nothing. He exited her mind as silently as he had entered it. He saw her wait for her parent's answers. They seemed in deep thought.

"Those kind of demons that come at night and scare little children?" her father asked jokingly.

"Not exactly..." the girl answered.

"Then how? Explain to us, Erika" her mother asked her kindly.

"Uhm...do you believe that somewhere...there is a world filled with demons? And absolutely no humans? Or with a very small population of humans?" she clarified her question and Hiei was stunned. Here she was, in the middle of watching a movie with her mom and dad, when she practically asks them if they believed Makai existed? He asked himself who and what this girl was more exactly, but he knew he couldn't find an answer. At least, not from her thoughts.

He saw her father's expression and he was almost sure the man would say that it was nonsense, when the girl's mother placed a hand on her husband's shoulder and answered her daughter:

"Who knows, honey...maybe they exist, maybe they don't"

"I wish I'd meet a demon" the 15 year old sighed resting her head on her father's shoulder. Her parents smiled at her and they continued watching the movie.

'_She wishes what?'_ Hiei asked himself as he almost fell out of the tree. _'That onna...there's something about her'_

He returned to see her raise from the couch and place a butterfly kiss on her father's cheek and a goodnight kiss on her mother's forehead. He watched her walk to her room and close the door. He saw her take some pajamas out of her wardrobe and he turned as she changed. Even if she had no idea he was there, he wasn't going to take advantage of that.

When he turned back he saw her dressed in some gray 3/4 pajama pants and a red pajama top with a sleeping teddy bear on the front. She was dancing. She was graceful, he had to give her credit for that. He watched her twirl and turn on the creamy rug that decorated the center of her room and suddenly, he felt the want to be there, next to her, and twirl her around. He shook his head. He wasn't supposed to think that, especially about her. He closed his eyes and let the sound of her steps fill his mind. The soft touch of her feet against the rug beneath them and the sound of her hands moving through the air seemed like a song for him.

Suddenly, he couldn't hear her soft steps on the rug anymore. He opened his eyes, looked at her and for a minute there he could swear she was looking him straight in the eyes. It was just then that he realized how her eyes really looked like. He thought they were just brown, but it was now that he realized he had been mistaken. Her iris was outlined in a soft, almost unnoticeable black line. The background color of the iris was a toffee brown, but it had stripes of green on it. He had noticed earlier how her eyes would change color depending on the outside light. If it were sunny her eyes would be a fading shade, but if it were cloudy they'd become pronounced and every color in them would darken. He found this interesting. And of course, at night her eyes would be the most mesmerizing he'd ever seen. The black outline of her iris would become the most pronounced color and the green stripes would easily fade into yellow-gold. Only the brown would stay the same. He'd have yet to see another human or demon with the same eyes. Another thing that confused him about her.

And then, just when he was about to declare himself 100 percent sure that she had seen him, she closed her eyes and sighed. She walked to the balcony. It seemed just her luck that the only door to the balcony was in her room.

She stepped outside on the cold concrete. Her feet were bear. The balcony railing was higher than normal, but it didn't seem to mind her. On the right side of the balcony there was a rocking chair with a blanket on it. Firstly the girl went to the railing and looked beneath.

"If I were to kill myself I'd better jump from here" Hiei heard her whisper softly before she laughed slightly. The crimson-eyed male thought she was too cheery to do such a thing. Even if it were for her to jump, he could bet that his conscience wouldn't let him let her fall.

Then he saw her walk to the swinging chair. She sat down on it, covered herself with the blanket and picked a book that was l. She seemed comfortable as she started rocking herself back and fort and humming softly. Her voice was down and sounded as if the song she was humming was a child's lullaby.

Soon her humming stopped and Hiei turned once more to look at her. She had fallen asleep. He sighed and slightly got up from his branch, but stopped when he heard her whisper: "...don't...". Again he could've sworn she knew he was there, but as he looked at her he realized she was deep sleeping. He got up from his branch and in one silent blur of shadow was in front of the swing. She didn't even stir as he picked her up as if he were carrying a child. She was still wrapped into the blanket.

He stepped into her room and was about to set her on her bed when he felt her snuggle into his chest. He couldn't help but look down at her. She looked peaceful and, in a way, angelic. When he tried to place her on her bed he noticed that she had grabbed a fistful of his black shirt. Now, that was a small problem. He placed his hand on hers and he was surprised to find that her skin was as cold as his. Moving his fingers gently, he easily unclenched her fingers from his cloth. He placed her hand on her pillow and smirked slightly as he pulled the covers over her.

When he turned around to walk away he heard her again whisper "...don't...". He looked over his shoulder at her. She was still sleeping, but, somehow, he felt as though she was watching him from behind her closed lashes. He shrugged the feeling off and disappeared from her room, leaving no evidence that he had ever been there.

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_**Author's Note: well, this is it. this is the first chapter. please tell me if you want me to continue writing or if you think I should stop right here. This idea came to me as I was watching a movie, but I assure you, it has NOTHING to do with the movie. It just popped into my head, no idea why. Just tell me what you think, please. Ja ne**_


	2. Blood Bounds

_**Disclaimer: Let's start with the important things. I DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS OF YU YU HAKUSHO OR ANYTHING RELATED TO THEM. I however own Erika, her parents, Mel and every other OC and the PLOT OF THIS STORY. please do not use any of MY characters without asking first.**_

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_**Different**_

_**Chapter 2: Blood Bounds**_

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It was morning. She opened her eyes only to be greeted by her mother's honey-like orbs.

"Yes, mom?" she asked offering the woman a sleepy smile.

"I called you a few times and you didn't answer. It's morning" her mother answered, pointing the obvious.

"Yeah, I figured that out"

"Well, are you feeling alright? You sure you wanna go to that cottage?" her mother asked and the girl's eyes suddenly widened. Today was the day! The day she'd been waiting so much for. It had been a week since she asked her mother and father for permission to go to her best friend's sleepover in the cottage and she wasn't going to miss it even if the world came crashing down.

The brown-haired girl jumped from the bed, scaring her mother.

"Sorry mom, but I'm NOT going to be late for that" the girl laughed as she started to look in her wardrobe for something to wear.

"Okay, okay, Erika. I prepared you're pack and it's nothing much. I really hope you can place everything in that schoolbag of yours" her mother said eyeing the said schoolbag. It was more of a shoulder-like-schoolbag and it didn't seem very big. Erika's schoolbag was brown with orange and black.

"Don't worry, it's bigger than it seems" her daughter assured her mother who simply shrugged before walking out the room and asking her daughter to hurry up.

Erika went into her bathroom to wash-up, change and prepare herself for the day. Their sleepover consisted of spending two days in the cottage and generally the area of the forest. Both the cottage and the forest were an hour's drive from Erika's house.

After half an hour the girl emerged from her bathroom. She was wearing a pair of 3/4 black jeans, a 3/4-sleeved blouse that reached to her thighs and had orange and black stripes. Over the blouse she had a black waistcoat and she was wearing black and orange converse. Her shoulder-length chocolate hair was pulled into two low ponytails and her slightly long bangs framed her face, reaching just below her chin. Her eyes were shining as she grabbed her schoolbag and stuffed some other clothes in it. Surprisingly enough her schoolbag was big enough for her pajamas, her toothbrush, a book she was reading, a black, white and red, thick notebook, a bottle of water and the sandwiches her mother had made for her.

Another 15 minutes passed and the girl, together with her mother and father, were in the car, her mother being the one that drove.

"Did you take everything, Erika?" her mother checked.

"Mhm, I think so" the girl answered.

"Toothbrush and toothpaste?" her father asked her.

"Here"

"Pajamas?" it was her mother's turn to ask.

"Yeah"

"Underwear?" her father asked innocently.

"None of your business!" the girl snapped playfully, even though her cheeks were kinda pink.

"Diary?" her mother asked.

"You know I don't leave without him" the girl answered smiling.

"The food?"

"Yeah, dad, the food's there"

"Water?"

"Yeah, mommy, water's there too"

"I guess she got everything, honey" her father told her wife.

"Good. I don't want anything to be missing"

"The phone!" her father suddenly explained turning to glare at his daughter over his shoulder. The girl placed her hands in the all-famous "surrender" sign, before answering:

"It's in my pocket! It's there!"

"Good" her father smiled at her and she sighed out of pure relief. Her parents could be scary.

Her mother turned the radio on and a random tune filled the car. After a few moments Erika's eyes began to close. She switched her view from the front-window to the window on her right, resting her head on its frame. It was a sunny autumn day and the girl felt a funny sensation in her stomach. It was as if hundreds and hundreds of butterflies decided to throw a party in there. She placed a hand on her stomach and closed her eyes.

Unknown to her, a pair of crimson eyes watched her every move. Hiei was jumping from tree to tree, trying to not be noticed and at the same time, not to loose sight of the silver-car. He watched her chat with her parents, but he didn't bother listening and then he saw her drift to sleep. She looked so peaceful, but he didn't have time to think about it, right now he had to jump and keep a very low profile.

Finally after an hour of driving and, in Hiei's case, jumping, Erika's mother stopped the car at the entrance in a thick forest. Hiei felt rather pleased. In that forest it would be really easy for him to hide from the views of the girl and her friends.

He saw her get out of the car, take her schoolbag and lean against the car. When her lips moved, he heard her every word.

"They're not here" she didn't seem to complain. She just stated a fact.

"We'll wait with you" her mother assured her placing a hand on her shoulder, while her father lighted a cigarette for himself.

"Dad?" the girl called and the man turned to her, puffing on his cigarette.

"Could you stop that?" she asked pointing at the white drug in his mouth. Her father gave her a half-glare and her mother sighed shaking her head as if saying it wasn't worth it.

Hiei watched the family wait in silence and saw how the girl's eyes fixed themselves on a point right next to the tree where he was hiding. He wasn't really convinced that she had no idea of his existence. To him, it seemed as if from time to time she'd look him directly in the eyes.

Suddenly another car appeared and stopped right next to the silver one. This car was red. A curly haired girl appeared out of it. She was dressed in 3/4 light-blue jeans with a purple, long-sleeved blouse and purple converse. Her hair was let loosely and it stopped a few inches below her collarbone.

From the same car she had exited a woman and a man, whom appeared to be the curly-haired girl's parents, came out as well.

"Mel!" Erika yelled as she hugged the curly-haired girl, now known as Mel.

"Hey, Eri" Mel answered hugging her best-friend back.

"So...where are the others?" Erika asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I think they're coming..." Mel shrugged.

"Coming? For God's sake...and me who thought that WE were going to be late..." Erika whined playfully and both her and Mel laughed.

"Well, honey, we'll be off then, okay?" Mel's mother said suddenly. She was a pretty woman, in her early 40's, with curly blonde hair. Her daughter resembled her perfectly, having the same shocking ice-blue eyes, except for the hair. Mel's hair was black.

"Sure, mom, I'll wait with Erika" Mel nodded her head and hugged both her parents' good-bye.

"Well, Erika, we'll be off too then. You're not alone anymore and we don't want to be in plus. Call us when you reach the cottage okay?" Erika's mother announced as she and Erika's father got in the car.

Erika nodded and waved to her parents as they drove away.

"Well, we got rid of parents" Mel stated proudly.

"Yeah" Erika agreed as she sat down on an old tree-stump, placing her schoolbag at her side. Mel soon joined her sitting against a tree trunk.

"Where's your pack, Mel?" Erika suddenly asked taking in the fact that Mel had no bag with her.

"I went there a couple of days ago and left some things, including my bag. I just wanted to make sure everything's alright there" Mel answered crossing her hands over her chest.

"Oh, okay" Erika nodded her head, remembering that the cottage belonged to Mel's parents.

"Anyway, tell me what you've been doing lately, Eri"

"Uhm, nothing much, just the usual. You know...school-stuff" Erika answered shrugging. She and Mel weren't going to the same school. They've met each other at a poetry contest where they've both participated and after switching phone numbers and internet addresses they found out they got along perfectly. After just a few months they started meeting every weekend and soon became best friends.

"School-stuff? Come on, Eri! You know what I wanna know!" Mel complained laughing.

"**What** do you wanna know?" Erika asked innocently but with a mischievous glint in her eyes. She obviously knew very well what Mel wanted to know.

"Erika! Tell me tell me tell me tell me! Anything new regarding we-know-who?" Mel asked making a puppy-face.

"I **invented** that look, so it has no chance against me!" Erika announced proudly, but became silent after that statement.

Two crimson eyes watched as she started rocking herself on the tree-stump. Hiei was rather curious as to why would she do that right now, but he had no way of asking.

"Well?" Mel asked again, visibly used to Erika rocking herself.

"Nothing" Erika answered in a small voice. Mel suddenly seemed to realize something, because she walked over to Erika and placed a hand on her shoulder. Erika moved a little to make some place for Mel, who sat down next to her and hugged her friend.

"Hey, don't be sad" Mel told her friend. Erika still looked at the ground and continued to softly rock herself. Mel sighed and sat her hands behind her supporting herself. The curly-haired girl moved her gaze to the skies, not noticing one dark shadow moving in the trees.

"You know something, Eri?"

"Hm?" said girl stopped rocking herself.

"I could never understand you"

Erika laughed, "Why?"

"You're different" Mel answered simply.

"Why?" Erika repeated her question.

"You get sad so easily when it comes to others but you're never sad for yourself" Mel answered again.

"Wanna know why?" Erika asked her friend suddenly moving her gaze to the trees.

"Why?" Mel asked smiling.

"'Cuz I can change things that happen to me. I can't change what happens to others"

Hiei listened carefully to the girls' conversation. It seemed as if there was another thing that stood at the base of their dialogue. He decided to check that curly-haired girl's mind. He wasn't taking the chance of not finding anything in Erika's mind again.

His third eye glowed behind his bandana as he slipped inside the 15-year-old girl's mind. He didn't find anything out of the ordinary until he practically bumped over a memory.

_Flashback (told in Mel's opinion)_

_I walked down the road to the cinema where I was supposed to meet Erika. She's a great friend, probably the best friend I've ever had, but she's different than other people I've met. Firstly, I've never seen someone with her eyes. They're so pretty and have unique colors. Anyways, as I walked on the street I saw the cinema in front of me. When I reached it I stopped and looked around for Erika but she was nowhere to be seen. Around me was just some random girl with bangs. I was pretty sure it wasn't Erika, 'cuz Erika didn't have bangs. I decided to call my friend._

'_Hey' she answered._

"_Where are you, Eri?" I asked her._

'_Uhm, right behind you?' she laughed and I turned only to see previously mentioned random girl with bangs waving at me. I ended my phone-conversation and walked to that girl only to be greeted by those really unique eyes of Erika._

"_You cut your hair!" I told her excitedly as I asked her to twirl round and round for me to see her haircut better. She had slightly long bangs framing her face, reaching a few inches below her chin. Her used-to-be-middle-back-long-chocolate-hair only reached her shoulders right now. I had to say this: she looked better than before. _

"_Wow, you look great! Who did your hair? I want his/her number!" I exclaimed, but Erika just nodded. I could feel something was really wrong right now._

"_Okay, Eri, spill it. What happened?" I asked her and she pointed to a café. We both started walking there in silence. I knew Erika wasn't one to talk when she was sad so I didn't say a thing. It seemed we had changed our plans, leaving the cinema behind and entering the café. Sitting at a two-person table near a big window we ordered some drinks and I waited patiently for her to start talking._

"_My brother had an accident" she whispered._

"_How? What happened? When? Who?" I asked her frantically. I knew she had a brother. He was her twin, but I had only met him a few times. Though I didn't spent a lot of time with him, I immediately took a liking to him and I knew Erika cared for him the most from their family. Don't get me wrong, their family loved both brother and sister very much, insanely much if you asked me, but the bond those two had was special. It was as if they shared a mind, or at least that's what Erika told me._

"_Yesterday. A drunk driver hit him while he was crossing the street" Erika answered and I was scared for the worse. "Don't worry, he's still alive" my friend said and I sighed out of relief._

"_Then, he'll come out of the hospital soon, right?" I asked hoping for a good answer. Unfortunately I never received one. Erika shook her head and before I could open my mouth she clarified, "He's in a coma"_

_I was shocked to say the least. How could he? It was as if he were a living dead. I sighed. I didn't know what to say or do in these cases. _

"_Don't worry. You don't need to say anything. I just..." and she stopped. I urged her to go on and she continued, "Could you come with me at the hospital?"_

"_Of course! How could you think something else?" _

_End Flashback_

Hiei slipped out of the curly haired girl's mind and rested his back against the tree he was currently sitting in. He let go of a shallow breath.

'_The onna has a twin brother?' _he thought. _'The first thing we have in common'_

His thoughts came to a stop when he heard the curly haired girl's voice:

"Guys! You're here! Finally! We thought we'd wait an eternity!" Mel greeted two boys. Hiei looked around expecting to see another car, but there was none. It seemed the newcomers had walked till there. Now they were face to face with the two girls that were already on their feet.

"Eh, sorry Mel, we got caught up on something" a blonde-haired, green-eyed boy answered winking at Mel who simply glared at him.

"Ha, as if! Precisely you saw some pretty girl and stopped to 'chat', Paul" Mel argued with the blonde boy now known as Paul. "And that idiot there stopped to wait!" Mel continued pointing accusingly at a brown-haired, black-eyed boy standing next to Paul. Said boy glared at Mel coldly, but kept his mouth shut.

"Anyway Mel, talking about pretty girls, who's your friend?" Paul asked, eyeing Erika's whole body.

Suddenly Hiei felt his blood boil and the sudden urge to slice the blonde-boy's neck. He shook his head and moved a little on the branch were he was currently sitting to take a better view. Erika's eyes were on fire. She obviously didn't like how Paul looked at her.

"I'm Erika" she replied coldly. Hiei was a little surprised. He hadn't heard that voice of hers before. It seemed void of her usual cheeriness.

"I'm Paul. A pleasure to meet you" the blonde said smiling.

"Eri, that's Daniel, Paul's friend" Mel said introducing the brown-haired boy who just seemed a little out of conversation.

"Nice to meet you, Daniel" Erika said smiling at the boy. The pure irritation was visible on Paul's face.

"Okay guys, let's go! I wanna reach my cottage before dawn, dammit!" Mel ordered and Erika turned her back to the group ready to start walking.

"Where to Mel?" Erika asked.

"Forward and after half an hour we turn right, then we should reach a river. We cross that river and walk a little more directly forward from it and then you should be able to see the cottage" Mel explained and Erika nodded before starting to walk.

Soon enough Erika was leading the group, though it was the first time she was going to Mel's cottage. Hiei was lightly jumping from tree to tree not bothering to go ahead. He just didn't like the girl being around that blonde-boy. Something was really off about him.

He heard the curly-haired girl yell after Erika and saw the brown-haired onna stop and turn.

"Yeah?" she asked, her voice only slightly raised.

"Paul wants to stop" Mel announced and Hiei felt his eye twitch.

"Oh for god's sake" he heard Erika mumble. She was definitely not pleased with this boy. "I'm going on ahead!" he heard her announce.

"Okay! Wait for us at the river, kay?" Mel yelled and Erika nodded before turning and starting to walk again. Hiei was rather glad that he didn't have to wait anymore.

After watching Erika walk for about five minutes, Hiei noticed that she was going faster than before. He wondered why. Surprisingly enough when he entered her mind he found her thoughts.

'_God that idiot. He can't even walk more than half an hour without stopping three hours for rest! Dammit!' _

Hiei smirked. The girl had quite the spicy personality when someone pushed her buttons. He continued jumping from tree to tree a little behind her, until she stopped only to sit on a tree-stump.

"Time for some rest" he heard her say to herself. He watched her open her bag and search for something until she pulled out a old book.

"Hm, I really should stop only at the river" the girl said to herself as she placed the book back in her bag, got up and started walking again. Hiei started jumping from tree to tree to follow her.

Soon enough they both turned right and Hiei could see the river in front of them. Erika didn't seem to notice the water at all. She really seemed to realize the water was there only the moment she reached in front of it.

"Awww, already? And me who thought I could walk more..." she whispered to herself as she sat herself on the edge of the river. She placed her bag next to her and took her converse and socks off and dug her feet in the water. Luckily for her, her 3/4 jeans went just a little under her knees and they didn't get wet at all.

Hiei saw the girl take the same book out of her bag and open it somewhere at the middle. She started reading, slowly humming some of the words, but the fire demon didn't bother to listen. He sat himself against the tree-trunk with his legs crossed on the branch and put his hands behind his head.

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**Author's Note: well, hope you like this! I really tried my best and sorry for any spelling mistakes...anyway! Chapter three should be up tomorrow or the day after tomorrow**! Don't forget to leave me a review! ja ne 


	3. Mel's Displeasure

_**Disclaimer: Let's start with the important things. I DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS OF YU YU HAKUSHO OR ANYTHING RELATED TO THEM. I however own Erika, her parents and the PLOT OF THIS STORY. please do not use any of MY characters without asking first.**_

* * *

_**Different**_

_**Chapter 3: Mel's displeasure**_

_**  
**_

"Erika!" Mel's voice erupted in the forest as she, followed closely by Paul and Daniel, appeared out of the trees nearby the river's area. The chocolate haired girl that sat on the edge of the river, her legs in the cold water and her eyes in the book, raised her head slightly without turning around, announcing Mel that she had heard the call.

"We're here" Mel pointed out the obvious as she dropped herself on the edge of the river, on her friend's right, being a little too careful not to touch the water. Paul and Daniel silently sat on the edge of the river, next to Mel. They too didn't touch the water.

"I thought those trees wouldn't end" Daniel joked smiling, trying to break the silence between the four.

"Yep, I agree...God Mel at one moment you had me thinking we were lost!" Paul laughed and Mel grinned at him.

"Aw, poor Paul was scared?" she teased him and he shook his head.

"Me? Of a forest? Neah" the boy disagreed proudly.

"You sure?" Erika suddenly asked, her eyes still on the book.

"Of course I'm sure. Why? Are you afraid of a forest?" Paul asked a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"No, but you should be" Erika answered.

"Why?" he asked her, but Erika pretended not to hear. Paul wanted to ask again, but the chocolate-haired girl talked before him.

"You three should rest"

"Yeah, Erika, you're right, but we can't stay too much" Mel agreed slightly shaking her head.

"Why?" Daniel asked.

"'Cuz I don't wanna lose the whole day going there!" Mel answered.

"But it's only noon! We have all the day ahead!" Paul whined.

"I know...I just wanna reach there soon...okay?" Mel snapped, her voice slightly nervous. She glanced around as if scared that someone or something was out there.

"What's up, Mel? You look like a rat in a cage!" Paul noticed eyeing Mel worriedly. She dismissed him by waving her hand. The curly-haired girl moved her gaze on the moving water and hugged her knees to her chest.

"Mel?" Erika's voice shattered the silence, though she didn't raise her eyes from the book.

"Mhm?"

"Where's the bridge?" Erika asked and Mel silently shook her head.

"There's no bridge?" Erika asked and a certain fire demon that sat lazily on a tree branch not that far away from the four teenagers could sense some concern in her voice.

"No bridge, Eri" Mel answered.

"And how, if I may ask, are you going to cross the river?" Erika asked, her voice bitter.

"Like everyone else. We'll get ourselves in the water" Mel said with a smile and Erika closed her eyes.

After a few seconds she snapped the book close and packed it in her bag getting up.

"Good then, we'd better get this over with and you two can rest on the other side" Erika said looking pointedly at the two boys. Mel got up and sat shoulder-to-shoulder to her friend. Paul and Daniel reluctantly got up to their feet and eyed the water as if it'd bite them.

"It won't kill you" Erika laughed as she folded up her jeans so they reached above her knees. She didn't want them to get wet. She picked her converse and stuffed her white, short socks in them, before placing her right leg in the water. The blue liquid only reached to her knee. She placed her other leg in the water and took a step forward.

"Come on, Mel, I'll help you cross over" Erika said and looked pointedly at Mel who, rather slowly and lacking her smile, got her converse and socks off her feet, picked them in her right hand exactly like Erika and sighed.

"Erika?" Mel asked, her voice slightly cracked.

"No, Mel, you can't possible drown in this water. It's not deep enough" Erika answered shaking her head, anticipating Mel's question.

"Good" Mel said and stepped into the water. She suddenly calmed down and her fear seemed to fade into nothing as she took a step next to Erika.

"Wow, this feels so good!" the curly haired girl cheered as she twirled in the water.

Two crimson eyes slightly took interest as he saw a sparkle in the water. It was there for a second, but than it vanished. Hiei shook his head and continued to watch the four.

Erika walked through the water and reached the other side in no time, while Mel took a few seconds more than her. The boys were still on the other side.

"Come on! Move it or I leave you right here!" Mel ordered and the two took their shoes off. Paul was the first to touch the water with his toe, but than he jumped back.

"For god's sake Mel! It's freezing!!!!!" he yelled. Daniel walked to the water and stuck a finger in it only to quickly take it back and warm it in his other hand.

"Dammit, Mel, it's colder than ice!" Daniel announced and Mel raised an eyebrow, but Erika was quicker to speak.

"Are you chickens?"

Two pairs of eyes glared at her as the two boys got in the water and in a few moments were on the other side trying to somehow warm their cold feet.

"See? Wasn't that bad!" Mel stated proudly. "Thanks Eri"

"Hit their ego and they'll do whatever you dare them to" Erika stated simply and smiled as she got her socks and converse back on her feet. She put her schoolbag on her left shoulder and took a few steps in front, looking around. Hiei duck lower beneath the leaves of the branch he was currently sitting on.

"Let's go" Mel suddenly said, her voice cold. Hiei took little notice of her. He thought she was just scared.

"Yeah, we should move" Erika announced too and the two boys reluctantly walked behind them as the two girls started walking in front shoulder-to-shoulder.

They were a little too far from the boys so they didn't hear them as they spoke.

"Well Mel, you didn't die because of the water" Erika observed her eyes glued in front of her.

"It wasn't that pleasant I assure you..." Mel muttered darkly and Erika chuckled.

"You seemed to enjoy yourself"

"Shut up" and with that said Erika didn't say another word to her best friend. She knew not to push too many buttons.

"Finally!" Mel yelled triumphantly as she twisted the key in the keyhole of the cottage. After walking for another half an hour from the river the group had finally reached it. It was really a pretty sight. The whole cottage was made of wood and seemed to have 4 bedrooms, or at least that's what Erika thought. It had a ground floor, a first floor and what seemed to be an old attic.

When Mel opened the door it opened with a big living room that had two couches facing each other in the middle, a bear rug between them with a coffee table on it and a fire place on the wall face-to-face with the door. Stepping inside Erika saw two doors on the left side of the living room and a bar-like kitchen on the right side. There was no wall or form of separation between the living-room and the kitchen. Right next to the entrance, on the right, against the wall, were the stairs that reached the first floor.

"Well, this is the ground floor with the kitchen, the living room and your bedrooms" Mel said pointing to Paul and Daniel and then showing the two doors on the left side. The two boys nodded. "You share a bathroom. I do hope that's not a problem right?" Mel asked and the two shook their heads. Erika wondered were the bath could be because she hadn't seen a door. She thought the door could be in one or both the rooms. She couldn't care less.

"Our rooms are above. You'll have a balcony" Mel said to Erika who nodded. Obviously, her best friend new how much Erika adored balconies. "Now that that's settled you can talk which rooms is who's. I don't care as long as you don't start fighting. Come on, Eri, we should unpack too" Mel continued and Paul and Daniel nodded and each disappeared in a room.

"Come on" Mel said to Erika and both girls started climbing the stairs two by two.

Unknown to them, outside of the house on a tree right in front of a balcony there stood a ruby-eyed demon dressed in black. His back was against the tree trunk, his legs lazily crossed on the branch and his hands behind his back. His eyes were closed. He didn't really seem to be sleeping.

"Mel?" a sudden yell from inside pulled him out of his meditation and his eyes opened sharply. The girl he had to watch over had only yelled after her friend.

"Yeah?" came the slightly distant answer.

"Where the heck did you put those stupid things?" came the yelling question.

"What things?"

"You know what things" came the growled answer and Hiei heard feet stomping on wood.

"Oh,** those** things!" came an innocent answer.

"Yeah, **those**!"

"Uhm...I think I forgot them home..." came another answer and Hiei heard a gulp followed by a frustrated sigh. He heard steps approaching the balcony in front of which he was currently staying. In a blur of shadow, right before the doors opened, he vanished.

"Mel?" Erika called for her friend in a lower voice as she stepped into the balcony. The curly haired girl appeared shortly afterwards.

"Hm?"

"I think there was something here" Erika whispered as she looked around.

"What?" Mel asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Hm, no idea, guess I'm a little tired" Erika shook her head and turned around walking back inside, but not closing the doors behind her.

"You should take a nap, don't you think?" Mel advised, her voice betraying worry.

"Yeah, guess you're right. If I don't wake up for dinner, pour some water on me" Erika agreed with a laugh.

"Sure, but cold won't work...we already know that that would only make you more comfy in your sleep" Mel said shaking her head with a smile and Erika smiled back.

"What effect does hot water have?" Mel asked thoughtfully.

"Argh! I hate that!" Erika shrieked.

"Good, then that's what I'll use to wake you up" Mel stated evilly. She was so going to enjoy that. Erika only laughed as her friend walked out her room plotting something against the world probably.

"Or maybe just against me..." Erika whispered laughing as she leaned against the closed door. Soon enough she walked to her bag that was on the bed and took her pajamas, that consisted of a pair of black, 3/4 pajama trousers and a pink, rather fit, pajama T-shirt that had a sleeping kitty on it. She didn't seem to mind the opened doors of the balcony as she started to take her clothes off.

Hiei turned around with a scowl on his face, but just a bit pink in the cheeks. After 5 minutes he turned his head around again only to see the onna on the balcony, her feet bare, dressed in her pajamas.

He could have sworn she was looking at him, but then she turned around.

"Just my imagination..." he heard her whisper as she went inside. He saw her snuggle under the covers of her bed and soon enough she was asleep.

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**Author note: I had other plans for this chapter...but it got a little too long for my tastes...hm...I think next one...maybe...anyway, review if you wanna read what happens to Erika and her friends! **


	4. Your Guardian Demon

_**Disclaimer: Let's start with the important things. I DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS OF YU YU HAKUSHO OR ANYTHING RELATED TO THEM. I however own Erika, her parents, all the OC's and the PLOT OF THIS STORY. Please do not use any of MY characters without asking first.**_

* * *

_  
**Different**_

_**Chapter 4: Your Guardian Demon**_

Erika's eyes opened slowly, their black outline being the most accentuated, the toffee brown giving them some warmth, but the gold-yellow dagger-like-stripes making them look vicious, wild, untamed.

"It's night" Erika whispered to herself as she got up from the bed. It took her a second to realize she was in Mel's cottage and probably the curly-haired girl couldn't wake her up for dinner, because outside it was already dark. Erika sighed, stretched her limbs and walked to the balcony. The doors were still opened and a chilly wind came through them but didn't seem to faze the chocolate-haired girl.

She stepped barefoot on the cold concrete and didn't even flinch as the night air hit her. She walked to the railing and placed her hands on it, raising her head up high and placing her now wild eyes on the trees.

Unknown to her a pair of crimson orbs were glued to her, mesmerized by her untamed gaze. Hiei didn't know why he looked into her eyes. He didn't know why he couldn't tear his gaze away. He didn't know what was up with the feeling in his gut. He just knew that that onna had something different about her.

He watched her look at the trees, turn her head around as if she were searching for something and then he heard her whispering.

"I miss you, brother...I wish you were here...you'd knew what to do" she had said to the wind and sighed. In a way she reminded him of his own twin sister, Yukina. They were both innocent, one could see that in their eyes, and they both lacked their brothers. Even though Yukina had no idea who her brother was, she still missed him and Erika had known her brother her whole life, but now he was in a coma and she too missed him.

He saw her close her eyes, her breathes coming even. She took a deep breathe and opened her eyes before whispering, "Nothing" in a shallow voice. She turned around, her back facing the forest in which Hiei was hiding, and started walking back inside. She didn't close the doors behind her so the darkness of the night could come in and get out as it pleased.

Hiei saw her walk out the door and he jumped into another tree so he could see the small hall. He saw her shut the door behind her and walk to a door across the hall. She knocked but received no answer.

"Mel?" she asked and a grunt came as an answer. Erika cracked open the door to Mel's room and peaked her head inside. It was a small room, much like Erika's, with a bed against the wall facing the door, a big window above it, an end-table next to it, a wardrobe on the wall with the entrance door, to Erika's right. In the middle there was a furry rug exactly like the one from Erika's room. On the wall to Erika's right there was the door to the bathroom and on it's right, against the wall, a desk with a chair and a lamp.

Mel's room and Erika's were like an object and it's mirror reflection.

"Hey" Erika greeted the curly-haired girl that sat on her back on the bed, her hands behind her head and facing the ceiling.

"Hm" she acknowledged Erika's presence but didn't move her eyes from the ceiling. Erika walked to the furry rug and sat on it, as close to the bed as she could, but not touching the wood beneath.

"I still can't understand why you like the floor so much" Mel stated and Erika chuckled.

"'Cuz you can't fall" Erika answered.

"You're strange" Mel stated and Erika smiled at her.

"You too" the chocolate-haired girl whispered, her smile slightly fading.

"Yeah, I know" Mel grinned, her eyes still on the ceiling.

"So, why didn't you wake me for dinner?" Erika asked.

"You seemed like you were having a nice dream so I made Paul try to wake you up. He ended up with a slap-mark on his cheek" Mel laughed at the memory and Erika gasped.

"I didn't!" she shrieked, her cheeks slightly red with embarrassment.

"You did"

"Oh my god!"

"He wasn't mad, Eri" Mel stated.

"Who cares if he was or not mad?" Erika yelled outraged, but with an amused glint in her eyes. Mel's head turned to the side to glance at Erika with a questioning look. "I'm mad 'cuz I didn't get to enjoy the slap! I was asleep!" Erika whined and Mel started laughing. Soon Erika joined her and the two girls were laughing like mad-people.

Two ruby-eyes watched them from a tree outside Mel's window and couldn't understand what was so funny.

"Hn, stupid onnas" a dark voice whispered to himself.

"Erika, Erika, it's not nice to say that" Mel playfully scolded after the two girls stopped laughing.

"Ha, as if! Trust me, that boy's bad news" Erika stated seriously.

"I know"

"Then why's he here?"

"He's my friend and Daniel's best friend. I originally invited Daniel and told him to bring whomever he wanted. He brought Paul" Mel answered slightly disappointed.

"Oh, well, as long as he minds his own business there's no problem" Erika assured her friend with a smile.

"Good"

"Anyway, Mel?" Erika suddenly called, her voice downer.

"Mm?"

"You going to come with me next week?" Erika asked and Mel's ice blue eyes turned cold.

"Sure" she answered.

"Thanks"

"Don't worry about it. We're best friends and I told you I'd be right next to you" Mel said smiling. Erika got up to her feet and walked to the door while Mel resumed her staring at the ceiling. As she was about to walk out the door, Erika turned and said to her friend:

"They said he hears us when we speak"

"I know"

"You think he knows all I told him?"

"Yeah"

"You think he'll ever wake up?" Erika asked, her voice sounding like that of a little child that had no hope of ever getting the beloved toy he wanted.

"Yeah, Eri, he'll wake up" Mel said as confident as she could be.

"Thanks, Mel" Erika whispered and walked out the door, closing it behind her.

She walked back to her room opened her door and had in mind to read something, but stopped when she heard steps in the balcony.

"Who's there?" she asked.

"It's me" came Paul's voice as he appeared in the balcony's door.

"What are you doing here?" Erika asked as she walked to him. He let her step into the balcony, watched her walk to the railing and walked beside her.

"You didn't answer" she stated, her wild eyes on the forest.

"I wanted to see if you were up" he answered.

"Oh" she voice and silence sat between them. "Uhm, Paul?" she voiced after awhile.

"Hm?"

"Mel told me you tried to wake me up...and...uhm...I..." she tried to say but stammered a little at the end.

"Don't worry for slapping me" he assured her grinning and she smiled. _'Maybe he's not that bad'_ she thought smiling at him.

"Uhm, thanks" she mumbled and they both sat there in silence.

Suddenly Paul turned to Erika.

"Erika?" he asked for her attention and she turned to look at him.

"Yeah?" she said and he got closer to her. Erika's mind was racing, telling her to get away, but her feet were stuck on the ground.

"You're a really hot girl" he told her and before she could even register what he had said he crashed his lips onto her. She tried to push him off of her but he stopped her and continued to forcefully kiss her. She acted on impulse and kicked him in the stomach. He let her go and stumbled backwards as she ran from the balcony, out the door of her room and down the stairs.

She didn't care that she was barefoot as she kicked the front door open and ran outside the cottage and down the path. She continued to run, getting further and further away from the house, not knowing that Paul was just a little behind her, until he grabbed her arm and pushed her against a tree, pinning both her arms above her head.

"Let me go" she half-ordered, half-whispered, her voice drowned in fear.

"Now, why would I do that?" his voice sounded like that of a sick man. "We would have had some fun, but you just had to be a bad girl, didn't you?" he continued his little speech. Erika didn't answer but turned her head to look over his shoulder. A black figure stood between the trees, red eyes shining like those of a wolf ready to attack.

"Let the onna go"

The voice came out as a low vicious growl and it made the hairs on the back of Paul's neck raise. He turned to his opponent, letting momentarily go of Erika. Green eyes met blood red.

"What did you just say?" Paul asked, trying to sound fearless, but the ruby-eyed demon could sense the fear radiating off of him. Hiei's lips inwardly curled into a sadistic smirk, but he didn't offer the human an answer as he continued to glare darkly at him.

"What do you want?" Paul yelled taking a step towards Hiei. When again the demon didn't answer, Paul rushed to him trying to punch him. Key word: trying. Hiei grabbed the boy's arm and twisted it behind his back till the point that one could swear it was going to break in any moment. He wasn't allowed to kill humans, but no one ever said anything about breaking arms. He was about to go on with his plan, when a frightened voice broke the silence:

"Uhm, thank you for helping me but...please don't hurt him" it was Erika's voice and, weirdly enough, Hiei stopped applying pressure on the human's arms and let him go. Paul stumbled forward and, after cursing rather loudly, he started running back to the cottage as if Devil himself was chasing after him.

"Scary-cat" Hiei heard Erika mutter and he turned to look at her. She smiled, "Thank you"

"Hn" he wasn't supposed to answer her, right?

Erika rubbed her wrists as she leaned against the tree-trunk, "Excuse me, but what are you doing here?" Hiei twitched. He knew the moment he decided to step in and save the onna that he was going to have to answer her questions.

"Wandering around" he answered, his voice void of any emotions.

"Oh" the girl mouthed. "I'm having a sleepover at my friend's cottage with some other friends. It's a bit further than here but not too far" the girl continued and Hiei thought she said it more to herself than to him.

"That's your friend onna?" Hiei asked sarcastically, a smirk on his lips.

"Not exactly. He's a friend of my best friend's friend" Erika explained matter-of-factly.

Hiei didn't say anything else, but he watched the girl look around again, the gold-yellow daggers in her eyes getting more and more visible.

"Why are your eyes red?" Erika suddenly asked. He knew she was bound to observe something at him that would make her a little suspicious. He didn't answer her and he heard her sigh. When he turned around to look at her she was sitting on the ground, her back against the tree-trunk were Paul used to pin her, hugging her legs to her chest. She looked frail, but most of all lonely. When she tore her eyes from the ground and locked them with Hiei's, he saw how the gold-yellow daggers' color faded and he knew that a human's eye could barely see them now, but he had a nice view of them.

"You know your eyes are not really entirely red" she stated offering him a smile. He looked at her and she must have seen something in his eyes because she continued, "They're outlined in black, like mine, and then they're crimson but as they continue to the pupil it strays from crimson to a dark fire-red"

He looked at her strangely and probably she noticed because she shook her head, "Sorry, you must think I'm crazy" she told him and he shook his head. He really didn't think her crazy. It was just that she had surprised him on how she could see the difference between the colors of his eyes.

"No, onna" he told her simply and she smiled brightly.

"Still, how come they're red? I don't think you have contacts and judging by how you caught Paul earlier you're not sick either so, how?" she asked him.

"Paul?" he knew he was trying to avoid the question, but he couldn't answer.

"The blonde-boy" she answered and when he didn't say anything she stated simply, "You're avoiding my question"

"Hn"

She didn't say anything and they stayed in silence for a while. When Hiei looked again at her she was asleep, her head resting on her knees. Hiei mentally sighed. His steps were almost inaudible as he walked to her. He didn't make any sound as he picked her up from the ground and leaped into the trees, jumping from branch to branch in the direction of the cottage.

Soon he landed swiftly on the concrete from the balcony of Erika's room. All she did was snuggle into him for warmth and he stopped dead in his tracks, as still as a statue. She didn't open her eyes. He took a breath and walked into her room. Empty. He walked to her bed and was about to place her there when she stirred. She was waking up. Her eyes opened and Hiei was greeted by warm pools of brown with yellow-gold daggers in it and outlined in black.

"Where am I?" she asked, her voice low and soft.

"In your room" he answered.

"Thank you" she whispered back and he moved his head in a barely visible nod. She obviously saw it because she smiled as he placed her on her bed. She was on her side, curled into a ball and half-asleep when he placed her covers over her. He was about to go when he realized she had grabbed a fistful of his shirt. Hiei had a weird feeling of Déjà vu in that moment as he used his own fingers to unclench hers. He placed her hand on the pillow next to her head and moved to walk away when, again, he was stopped. This time, by her voice.

"Wait" she whispered, her voice sleepy and her eyes only half-opened.

"Hn?"

"Who are you?" he knew by the sound of her voice that she didn't mean to find out his name. Somehow he just knew what to answer when the words came out of his mouth. Somehow it was as if he wasn't the one answering.

"Your guardian demon" and with that he vanished. She smiled as she snuggled into the covers and let sleep take her.

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**Author Note: Dammit...not even this chapter got to what I wanted! I mean...it did...but I had to change the title TT anyway, I think it was pretty good and I really liked the end of it. I do think Hiei's a little OOC...but I really try not to make him out of his character...please tell me if you think he's acting weird or not as he usually does! Ja ne**


	5. Coming Home

_**Disclaimer: Let's start with the important things. I DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS OF YU YU HAKUSHO OR ANYTHING RELATED TO THEM. I however own Erika, her parents, all the OC's and the PLOT OF THIS STORY. Please do not use any of MY characters without asking first.**_

* * *

_**Different**_

_**Chapter 5: Coming home**_

The next morning came sooner than Erika wanted and she inwardly groaned as she got up.

"Sometimes I just hate mornings" she grumbled to herself as she threw the covers off her.

"Erika! Erika! Erika get your ass down here or I'll come and drag you all the way!!!!!!!" came Mel's irritated voice from downstairs. Erika laughed as she got off of the bed and stretched her limbs.

"God, I feel as if I spent the whole night..." she abruptly came to a halt and her cheery smile faded. "...out in the cold" she continued, her voice low, a slow look of realization slipping on her features.

"Oh" she voiced, her mouth forming a small "o" as she sat back down on her bed. "I think I should talk to Mel" Erika whispered to herself and walked out the room, still in her pajamas.

She reached the top of the stairs but stopped when she heard voices from below.

"God, I'm gonna murder her if she's not here in two seconds" Mel's voice could be heard and Erika laughed.

"Uhm...Mel? You sure she's alright? I mean...she spent yesterday almost sleeping all daylong...and...last night she went to bed really early. I don't think she ate anything!" came Daniel's worried voice. Erika smiled. She could imagine Mel dismissing him with a wave of her hand before answering.

"You don't know Erika. She usually doesn't eat much at all so that's no worry. And sometimes she just sleeps. It's just how she is, so trust me, no need to worry" the curly haired girl's voice floated through the air and Erika smiled as she sat on the stairs.

"You know her better, Mel, but you should check how she's doing" Daniel tried to reason with her, but all Mel could hear was the sound of a fork being roughly dropped on a table and a chair scratching the floor. Mel was getting up. Erika didn't move a muscle as she heard her best friend's steps. She saw her curly head as she walked towards the staircase and caught her gaze when she reached the bottom of the stairs. Icy blue eyes met toffee brown with daggers in them. Mel's eyes locked with Erika's and in a moment Mel reached the top stair and sat beside the brown haired girl.

"Well, what's wrong?" she voiced after a moment.

"Last night..." came the whispered answer, but then Erika stopped. "Where's Paul?" she asked suddenly worried.

"Now that you mentioned it..." Mel started thoughtfully. "He came here at about 2 am last night, scared out of his mind and saying that he woke up in the woods or something like that having no idea how the heck he got there" Mel continued placing her icy gaze on the stair in front of her.

"I...I kinda know what happened" Erika started and when Mel looked at her questioningly she proceeded to tell her best friend what had happened, excluding the part with the ruby-eyed demon. She thought it as nonsense.

"He tried what?" Mel's voice trembled with anger as her fist clenched.

"It's okay, really. Maybe he's just a little sleep walker" Erika explained playfully, but with a hidden hint of sadness.

"I don't think he is..." Mel stated angrily, her voice resembling a bark, not the normal melodious sound it used to be. Erika placed a hand on Mel's shoulder and the icy-eyed girl slightly calmed down. "Erika?" she voiced after awhile.

"Hm?"

"If he does anything...anything at all" Mel started and got up, placing her foot on the stair in front of her. She turned to her friend with a sweet smile on her face, "I'll kill him" she mouthed and went down the stairs.

Erika smiled and got up from the stairs dusting her pajamas. She placed her foot on the stair that went up, back to her room, not down, to the kitchen.

"Don't think you're skipping breakfast! I don't want you to reach home even skinnier!" Mel's commanding but sweet voice came from bellow. Erika snorted with a smile and turned again. She started going down the stairs.

"Morning" she greeted as she took a seat at the table next to Daniel. He smiled at her. She smiled back. Paul was nowhere in sight.

"Where's Paul?" she asked.

"Sleeping" Daniel asked while Mel only grumbled something under her breath as she served the other two some chocolate pancakes.

"So what do you want to drink, madam et monsieur?" Mel asked dramatically.

"Oh I don't know" Erika answered pretending to think very hard.

"Well then you'll have milk. Any complaints? If you have you can stuck them up your..."

"Okay, okay milk!" Erika said cutting Mel off. Mel smiled and placed two glasses full of milk in front of her and Daniel. She took a plate and a glass for herself and sat in front of Erika.

"Bon a petit, mes chéries" Mel said sweetly. Erika laughed and Daniel smiled at her.

Breakfast went by slowly, with the three humans chatting absent-mindedly, and Hiei soon got bored of listening to their stupid talk. His thoughts began to wonder to last night. After he'd brought the onna back and saw her fall asleep, he had taken care that that Paul boy didn't remember anything he tried to do or have any thoughts like those in the future.

Hiei smirked with satisfaction as he remembered the human's scared face, but soon got woken from his thoughts when he heard movement behind. He turned to see the three other humans getting up.

"So, what're we going to do about Paul?" Erika asked.

"Hm, we should let him sleep in" Daniel mused and Mel only snorted. Erika was pretty sure that her friend had very not-so-nice ideas of that to do with Paul.

"Let's go into the forest" Mel chirped in excitedly.

"Without Paul?" Daniel asked.

"Yeah, without him. He should better sleep. It's only noon and he was really shaken last night. We'll leave him a note and tell him where he can find us" Mel said and the three agreed.

Hiei had watched the onna and her friends in the forest all daylong. At one point he got bored and went for a run in the area. When he came back they were still on the same place he had left them, near the river. The onna was reading, her bare feet swinging in the water. She was wearing the same outfit like the day before, except for the T-shirt, which was now a long-sleeved, thigh-long orange and black patterned blouse. She seemed oblivious to the chillness around her. The curly-head was running around like a little kid, picking flowers or pissing the little insects and mammals off and sometimes even bothering the onna, saying how she should get her nose out of the book. The onna would only laugh and shook her head. The boy was calmly minding his own business, walking around, sometimes helping the curly-head on whatever she was doing and other times trying to break the silence between the three of them.

Practically the day went by boringly slow and when it was finally time for the three humans to go back to the cottage, pick up their things and the other companion and then go home, Hiei was following them slowly. Even he was bored out of his mind.

He saw the onna pick her already prepared pack and wait for the others who soon came accompanied by a rather panicked Paul. They made their way back to the entrance in the forest faster than when they had come and in less than a few hours they were each calling their parents to come pick them up.

Half an hour later the first car pulled into the driveway in front of the forest and Paul left. After that Daniel's parents came. When Mel's parents came they all decided to wait with Erika for her own parents, who came just a few minutes later. They said their good-byes and left for their homes.

In a few words, avoiding anything to do with what happened at night, Erika told her parents what they had done, giving them a white lie here and there, not wanting them to worry much.

"So you had fun?" her father asked her.

"Yeah" she replied from the backseat, her eyes off the window.

"Good! Anyway Erika. We want to tell you something" her mother announced, seriously.

"Hm?"

"Your uncle's coming"

Erika's eyes brightened at the sentence. "When?"

"Today. He's coming for dinner" answered her father, but after a second he continued in a lower voice, "With his family"

Slight disappointment was etched on Erika's face. She wasn't that keen on meeting her uncle's "new" family. She sighed and decided she'd better not push the subject more.

"Oh. I thought he'd stay longer"

Her father only smiled, not saying anything else. Erika leaned back into the car seat, her head against the window frame, her eyes watching every tree that passed by, but oblivious to the dark shadow that seemed to fly from tree to tree. Her eyes closed, but she didn't fall asleep. Pictures were running through her mind. Pictures of a little girl and a man. A handsome man.

It was like a private dance between pictures inside Erika's mind and she couldn't seem to have the ability of thinking of something else. She saw the man talking to the little girl, ruffling her silky coffee hair. She saw the little girl laughing cheerily and the man smiling, obviously happy. She saw the man and the girl walking down the park. A smile played on Erika's lips and the little girl from inside Erika's mind wore the same, identical smile. Erika saw the man and the girl chat, but they stopped at one moment. In front of the girl was a little puppy, obviously scared, baring his sharp teeth at her in a pitiful attempt to scare her. It was hard to say which of them was more frightened. The puppy because of the coffee-haired little girl, or the little girl because of the light-brown-furred puppy.

Inside her mind, Erika heard the man's deep voice:

'Don't be scared, hime. I do believe he's more frightened than you'

Erika's face lightened with a smile as she remembered nodding and walking to the puppy. She remembered how her younger self stuck her left hand out, bent her knees just a little, and waited for the light-brown furred doggy to sniff her outstretched limb. The animal came to her, slowly and frightened at first, but more courageously in the end. Erika saw her younger self, play with the puppy under the watchful midnight eyes of the man.

The coffee-haired girl opened her eyes. She didn't close them again but settled both her green-daggered eyes on a point out the window. Her eyes went out of focus and a picture appeared in front of her eyes. A pair of midnight-colored eyes. So deep that for a second, Erika felt herself lost in them, a feeling of recognition on her face. She smiled as she again snuggled deeper in her seat. A sighed escaped her slightly parted lips and she closed her eyes, making them come back to this world.

Hiei was jumping from tree to tree, so fast that a human eye couldn't see him, but also slow enough that he wouldn't lose the girl's family's car. He knew how to reach back to her house, but he wasn't going to take any chances that something, anything that would prove Emna being right or wrong regarding the onna, would happen while he wasn't there. He had been reading her mind and saw the images flashing through it, but had no idea who the man was. He had realized the little girl was a younger version of the girl because of the coffee hair, but especially because of the eyes. The little girl had the same eyes, only a little warmer, with more emotion and innocence. He had also seen the onna fade in that little own world of hers and he didn't stop reading her mind, but, as always, everything in it went blank, not a single trace of thoughts. He founded it rather strange, because sometimes he could see what the onna thought and sometimes he couldn't, but in those moments when her eyes would stray out of focus, he couldn't find one tiny trace of thoughts in her mind.

Hiei shook his head. It wasn't the time for thinking. He pushed a little harder on a branch when he jumped and he heard it crack. He heard it fall and hit the ground, scaring some passers-by but he continued to move.

After an annoyingly long drive that seemed to take an eternity, when in fact it was only an hour, Erika was coming out of her parent's car, taking her bag with her. When her dad handed her the keys she took them with a nod.

"We'll be going to do some shopping. If your uncle comes, wait for us, okay?" her mother said sweetly and she waved a good-bye to her daughter before she drove off. Erika walked to the entrance of the apartment building, opening the door with a slight noise and then walking towards the steps. She sighed. So many steps until she'd reach the eight floor.

'_If only...'_ she shook her head before that thought had a chance to end. It wasn't time for her to think stupid things such as that. She stepped on the first stair and started going up.

One stair at a time, each step being soundless. For Erika it seemed as if an eternity had passed until she reached the last stair. She stopped in front of a big, dark-wood door from the eighth floor. The door opened when she twisted the key in it and Erika stepped inside the apartment. It wasn't that big but it had three rooms and a rather large living room to which a kitchen was connected. The living room and the kitchen resembled those from the cottage very well.

"Home sweet home" Erika mumbled as she walked to the right side of the apartment were a black door was situated. Her room. She entered it and threw her bag on the floor. She walked to her wardrobe taking some clothes from inside and then entered her bathroom. After half an hour and a hot shower, she came out of the bathroom wearing a pair of dark-colored skinny jeans and a tight purple long-sleeved blouse that reached her thighs, and she had on only her purple and white socks. Her hair was braided into two low ponytails, her slightly long bangs framing her face.

"Now for the damned time I have to wait" she silently whispered to herself as she took a book from her bookcase and walked outside on the balcony. She didn't close the door to her room, or the one to the balcony, making sure she'd hear the doorbell if it ringed.

Erika cuddled on the rocking chair, wrapping the fluffy blanket around herself, with her knees under her body and the book resting on them as her eyes roamed on the pages. She seemed content.

Hiei was leaning against the branches he usually occupied while watching the onna. He was halfway relaxed when suddenly he tensed. His hand went straight to his katana but he didn't take it out as he ducked a little behind the branches looking down to the entrance in the apartment building. He had felt a demon. A familiar one.

Ten minutes later the doorbell to Erika and her parent's apartment rang and the girl sprang to her feet, leaving her book on the rocking chair while she happily skipped to the door.

"Hey, un-" but the greeting stopped dead on her lips as she was met by the most mesmerizing green eyes she had ever seen.

* * *

_**Author's Note: HA! I finished! Sorry it took more than usual...but school's been difficult and plus, I do have a life anyway, guess who's the one behind her door and what the heck would he be doing there! When someone reviews and says who it is, correctly, and gives a good guess upon what he's doing there, I'll update ja ne**_


	6. Related

Author's Note: Hello, hello, my dear readers! I am so sorry for my absence but this past weeks had been a massive wreck! I had just finished reformatting my computer…which gave me a great headache 'cuz I lost all the other chapters…and had to copy-paste them back in word…sigh…but I do have a better Word right now! Ha!

I'd really like to give a big THANKS to all my reviewers, but especially to **youdontwant2no**and**.feint.circles.**who guessed who those green eyes belong to.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho…or anything related to it. However, Erika, Mel and all the other OC's are my property

* * *

_**Different**_

_**Chapter 6: Related**_

"Uhm, hello" Erika muttered. She had slowly recovered from the sudden shock that those emerald eyes put her through.

"Hello" the boy greeted back, a smile playing on his lips.

"Eri-chan!" a young voice erupted from behind the emerald-eyed teenager and the chocolate-haired girl moved her eyes to see a dark-haired boy smiling broadly at her.

"Shuichi!" Erika chirped, suddenly forgetting about the other male. Shuichi pushed pass the emerald-eyed boy and hugged Erika's waist for dear life.

"I missed you!" the dark-haired boy whined.

"Me too" Erika whispered sweetly, placing a hand on the kid's hair. She looked back up at the emerald-eyed boy. "Who are you?" she asked.

"My name's Shuichi Minamino" he answered extending his hand.

"Erika" she said shaking it friendly.

"He's my father's wife's son" the little Shuichi explained after he detached himself from Erika.

"Oh, well, it's a pleasure to meet you" Erika smiled at the green-eyed boy, though he saw through her fakeness.

"Same here. I've heard a lot about you from my step-father"

"Heh" Erika scoffed. "You should come in" she advised and allowed the two to step into the apartment.

"Where's uncle?" she asked the little Shuichi.

"Somewhere between the forty-fifth and forty-forth stair" the boy answered and Erika laughed.

"Shu-kun, you know it's not polite to talk like that!" she playfully scolded and the young boy only crossed his arms over his chest. Erika, still wearing a smile, showed them to the living-room area of the apartment and the two sat on one of the couches.

"Well, 'till we wait for uncle, do you wish anything to drink?" Erika asked politely.

"A glass of water would be nice" the emerald-eyed boy said.

"I want water too" Shuichi agreed with his older step-brother.

"Very well" Erika said and walked to the fridge, opening it. She took a bottle of water out and searched for some glasses. In her way to a cupboard she stole a glance outside the window and for the briefest of moments she could swear she saw two ruby-eyes watching her. She shook her head, got the glasses and walked back to her cousin and his step-brother.

Hiei was tense against the tree-branches as he had watched an emerald-eyed boy walk out of a car with what seemed to be his family. His hand was still on his katana as he shadowed his own energy so that the demon couldn't sense him.

He saw the emerald-eyed boy enter the building followed by a raven-haired kid, a male that looked like the kid and a female. He couldn't see them on the stairs so he jumped on another branch to get a better view to the onna's apartment. He tensed even more when he heard the ring of the bell. He watched the onna open the door and greet the emerald-eyed boy and the raven-haired kid. The older male and female were nowhere in sight.

Hiei watched the onna take some water and glasses and for the briefest moments he met her eyes, being held captive by her fiery gaze, but disappearing from her sight after less than a second.

Erika sat on the couch, chatting with her guests when the bell rung once again, announcing the arrival of her uncle and his wife. She got up quickly and went to open the door.

"Uncle!" she greeted excitedly, not glancing once at the woman next to him as she hugged him tightly. Laughing her uncle hugged her back.

"Hello, Erika" he said when she let go of him. "She is my wife, Shiori" he introduced and Erika looked over to the woman next to him. She was of average beauty, with dark hair and brown eyes.

'_Nothing special' _Erika concluded in her mind.

"Hello" Erika greeted coldly, the green daggers in her eyes blazing with fire.

"Hello" Shiori greeted back politely.

"Where're your mom and dad?" her uncle asked grinning.

"Shopping. Come on in" she answered inviting them in. A few moments later and they were all sitting on the two couches facing each other. Erika and Shiori were on the same couch and the boys on the other.

"So, Erika, how's life?" her uncle asked.

"Like always" she answered, her eyes darkening for a second. Her uncle sighed. Lucky for Erika the bell rung again and she run for the door, opening it to her parents in a rush.

"Hey, uncle's here already" she greeted and her father brightened up. Her parents entered the house, letting their bags on the ground and went to greet the other family. Erika took their bags and placed them on a counter in the kitchen, returning to her family.

"Raidon, how've you been man?" her father asked her uncle placing a hand on his shoulder. Erika smiled, they were the perfect brothers. She looked at her mother who was already engaged in a conversation with Shiori, both smiling and enjoying each other's company. The two Shuichi's were talking to each other, and suddenly Erika felt something crawl at her. It was as if it had claws that ripped the skin off her heart, which stripped her of everything she had. She suddenly felt lonely.

A bitter loneliness that was whispering in her ear, making her insides twist in pain.

'_He's gone' _she could hear the voice, though she knew it didn't exist. Swallowing her fears she blinked back all the tears and walked to her family.

The night went by smoothly, everyone enjoying each other's company, unaware of the eyes that watched them carefully.

Finally, time for dinner came and both families sat at the kitchen table, Erika's father and her uncle being on its opposite ends. Erika stood at her father's right, while her mother was on his left. Next to Erika was her cousin, Shuichi and next to him was his step-brother. On the other side, to her uncle's right was Shiori, next to her mother.

"Bon appétit" Erika whispered to herself as they started eating.

"So, Raidon, what're your plans for the future?" Erika's father, Taro, asked his brother.

"Ah, you know me, Taro. Just living my life to its fullest" Raidon replied smirking and Erika smiled. So typical of her uncle.

"So, Shiori, Raidon, you and the kids are staying the night, right?" Erika's mother, Lilly, suddenly asked and the chocolate haired girl felt her eyes widen.

"You never said that to me!" she replied, but her voice held no protest.

"Sorry honey, must have slipped my mind" Lilly grinned sheepishly and her daughter didn't say anything else as she savored her green olive.

"Well, yes, it would be a pleasure, though we do not want to bother" Shiori replied smiling at Lilly.

"No bother at all! We'd be delighted to have you here!" Lilly replied cheerfully.

"Not wanting to destroy your fun honey but where are we all gonna sleep?" Taro asked seriously and Lilly grinned at him.

"Well Shu-kun can sleep in Erika's bed and I'll get a mattress for Shuichi" Lilly replied.

"And where do you suppose I'll sleep if Shu-kun gets my bed?" Erika asked with a raised eyebrow.

"In the same bed silly!" her mother replied and Erika only sighed while the little Shuichi's ears got a little red.

The rest of dinner was quiet and afterwards Lilly went to prepare the sleeping arrangements. The spare bedroom was to be occupied by Shiori and Raidon, while the two Shuichi's were going to stay with Erika in her room. After everything was ready and done, Lilly sent the kids to their room, saying how they needed sleep.

"Auntie didn't change" the little Shuichi observed as he sat on Erika's bed, making said girl laugh. Erika took a seat in the middle of her creamy-colored carpet, receiving a questioning look from the emerald-eyed Shuichi.

"I like it here. You can take the desk-chair" she replied smiling and he smiled back, sitting on her desk-chair. "Well, it's kinda weird that you both have the same name…" Erika stated after a little while and the little Shuichi laughed. "How about I call you Shu-kun?" she asked her cousin who nodded.

"You call me that anyway" he replied smugly and his elder cousin smiled.

"And you'll be Shuichi" Erika continued smiling and the emerald-eyed boy.

"Very well. Now you can make a difference" he told her and she nodded her head.

Closing her eyes for a brief moment, Erika opened them when she felt a weight on her crossed-legs. She saw her little cousin's head resting on them.

"Can I?" he asked and she nodded. Even if he was already a teenager, her cousin would always act like a baby while she was around. Erika stroked his hair gently and the three people in the room seemed to be comfortable in their own silence.

Unknown to her a pair of ruby-red eyes watched her and a fox demon was scanning the area searching for the aura he had felt earlier.

After a few moments, the little Shuichi's breath was even and his eyes closed. Erika smiled down at him.

"He fell asleep" she whispered to the emerald-boy who nodded his head.

When Erika tried to get the little Shuichi off of her without waking him up and having no success, the emerald-eyed boy offered his help.

"Yeah, thanks" she answered him and together with the elder Shuichi she moved her cousin and placed him on the bed, under the covers.

Erika walked to her closet and picked her pajamas. "I'm gonna get changed" she told Shuichi who nodded, and then she disappeared into her bathroom, closing the door behind.

When he heard the click that announced him that Erika had locked the door, Shuichi got up of the chair and walked to the room's balcony. Stepping on the concrete he let the night air caress his red-hair. He walked to the railing and allowed his eyes to wonder around. He didn't notice anything out of the ordinary and lost himself watching the star-filled sky.

"Admiring the view?"

He turned abruptly at the voice to see Erika standing in the doorway, her arms crossed and a smile on her face.

"You change quickly" he observed as she walked next to him.

"Yeah, guess you didn't expect me to, eh?" she asked laughing slightly. He chuckled and shook his head. "It's nice out here" she whispered, placing her hands on the railing.

"Yes, it is. The night's beautiful" Shuichi agreed. He saw her smile and close her eyes, inhaling the night's chilly air.

"We should get back inside" she said after awhile and he nodded. Together they walked back inside the room and Erika looked over at her sleeping cousin. Carefully walking pass the mattress that decorated the middle of her room she sat on the side of the bed. Moving her cousin over and crawling under the covers she looked back into those mesmerizing green eyes that watched her.

"Good night, Shuichi" she whispered.

"Good night, Erika" he whispered back taking the pajamas that were neatly placed over the mattress for him and entering the bathroom to change.

When he came back she was sleeping soundlessly, her cousin cradled into her arms. He looked at her. The two of them looked like a mother and her child. He smiled at them and sat on the mattress, crawling under the covers.

Unknown to them a pair of blood-eyes watched them.

"You're gonna mess up pacifier-breath's plans, fox" and the wind carried his words as said fox stirred in his sleep.

* * *

_**Author's Note: **_**It's almost midnight! And I'm so sleepy, but I did it! I finished the next chapter! I have no idea when I'll be able to update, but reviews would motivate me so…REVIEW! Btw, how'd you like Kurama's entrance in the story? I hope I kept him in character! Hiei didn't really appear in this chapter that much…and I don't think he will appear more in the next chapter…but after that…he will! So…without other rambling…please review**


	7. A boy in white clothing

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN Yu Yu Hakusho or anything related to it. However, the plot of this story, Erika, Mel, Lilly, Taro and all the other OC's belong to me.

_**Different**_

_**Chapter 7: A boy in white clothing**_

Shuichi opened his eyes slowly, taking in his surroundings. He was under the covers, on the mattress that his step-aunt had prepared for him.

The first thing his eyes noticed was the small black clock on the girl's desk. It read 6:30 in the morning.

Getting out of the covers he glanced at the bed in front of him. His step-brother was peacefully sleeping but the girl, Erika, wasn't there. He looked around, and finally found the human in her bathroom. He found her scent, an intoxicating mix between vanilla and chocolate. Getting up from the mattress he stretched his numb limbs, wondering how come he hadn't heard the girl wake up.

"Oh, you're awake" he heard Erika's voice and turned to see her standing in the bathroom's door, still in her pajamas. Shuichi wondered again how come he hasn't sensed her coming.

"Yeah" he answered her.

"I hope I didn't wake you up" Erika smiled at him and he shook his head. How could she wake him when he didn't even hear her move?

"Okay" she said and Shuichi watched her walk to the bed where his brother slept. He saw her bent down and pull her hair behind her right ear.

"Shu-kun?" he heard her whisper. His step-brother stirred, but nothing more.

"Shu-kun, wake up" she tried again and the raven-haired boy grumbled. He was visibly awake. "Come on, Shu-kun, wake up!" Erika demanded a little more harshly.

"No" the raven-haired boy muttered.

"Shu-kun, wake up!" Erika demanded harshly but the boy didn't even move. "Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up" Erika kept going on and on and on, obviously annoying the sleepy raven-haired boy. The elder Shuichi saw his brother place his hands on his ears as the chocolate-haired girl continued her "wake up, wake up" song.

"Okay, I'm up; I'm up, just shut up!" the raven-haired boy yelled as he literally jumped out of the covers. The little boy sat on the bed facing his cousin, who looked really pleased with herself.

"Why am I in my jeans and shirt?" he asked curiously.

"Uhm, you fell asleep on my lap last night and with Shuichi's help I got you in bed, but I wasn't about to change your clothes!" Erika explained and the little Shuichi's ears got a little red. His elder step-brother chuckled, getting Erika's attention.

"What?" she asked curiously.

Before he could answer a knock on the door interrupted him. Cracking the door open, Shiori poked her head inside smiling widely.

"Good morning" she greeted them earning a smile from her son and step-son, but a fake one from Erika.

"Good morning, mom" Shuichi greeted back warmly.

"'Morning, Shiori-san" the little Shuichi said smiling widely at his step-mother.

"No need for 'san', Shuichi-kun. You're family now!" Shiori protested smiling. The gold daggers in Erika's eyes appeared just for a moment before turning back into green stripes.

"Good morning, Shiori-san" she greeted, her voice calm and normal, but the elder Shuichi noticed an almost invisible trace of bitterness. He didn't like it. What did this girl hold against his mother?

"Good morning, Erika-chan" Shiori answered back smiling at the girl. "Breakfast's ready so you three should hurry up, change and come join us, okay?" the woman announced and when she received three nods she smiled and left.

"I'm going to get changed" Erika announced after Shiori closed the door. Walking to her wardrobe and picking some clothes she disappeared into the bathroom.

"Ne, Shuichi?" the younger boy called his older step-brother.

"Hm?"

"What do you think about my cousin?" the raven-haired boy asked, his dark eyes locking with emerald ones.

"She's nice" the red-haired boy answered.

"She's great, that's how she is. She's the best person I've ever met" the younger Shuichi told his elder step-brother.

"You two talking about me?" a mocking voice stopped the two from talking anymore and both boys turned to see Erika, now changed, leaning against the bathroom door's frame. She was wearing dark denim skinny jeans, a dark purple long sleeved tight blouse with a white skull on the front and her hair was let loose on her shoulders. Her feet were bare.

"So? Were you two talking about me?" she asked them smiling sweetly.

"Not exactly. Do you mind me using your bathroom?" the little Shuichi asked and when his older cousin nodded, stepping aside from the bathroom door's frame, he vanished into said room.

"Well, he'll be in there quite awhile. If you need me I'm on the balcony" Erika said and walked out on the balcony.

Shuichi saw her out of the corner of his eye crawl into her rocking-chair and picking a book from the cold concrete. Soon the chocolate-haired girl was consumed by the book's action.

The emerald-eyed teenager arranged the covers of his mattress, as good as his mother had taught him. When he was finished another knock was heard on the door.

"Come in" he instructed and his step-father stepped inside.

"Good morning, Shuichi"

"Good morning, Raidon-san" Shuichi answered and, when the man didn't make any move to correct him, saying that he should call him without 'san' he decided he'll stick to the 'san'.

"So, how'd you sleep?" Raidon asked the red-haired boy.

"Really good. The mattress was indeed comfortable" he wasn't lying. Okay, maybe just a little, but he had no intention of insulting his step-father's brother's wife. Shuichi was surprised when Raidon let a hollow laugh that sounded so much like a bark.

"You're too polite for your own good. I slept on that mattress once, when Erika was just a little kiddo. It's uncomfortable like heck!" Raidon laughed again and Shuichi allowed himself a small smile. "Talking 'bout the kid, where is she?" the older man continued.

"She's out on the balcony, reading" Shuichi answered.

"Oh, okay, and the other Shuichi?" Raidon asked, joking and Shuichi chuckled before pointing the bathroom. "Okay, then, hurry up and get to breakfast" the man said and walked out the room.

Shuichi didn't say anything as he turned around, admiring the girl's room. She had hand-made paintings on the walls, and the boy guessed that she made them. Walking around the room, the boy felt the fluffy creamy-rug beneath his bare feet and the room gave him an odd feeling of calmness. Shuichi sat back on the mattress deciding to wait for his step-brother.

Outside the apartment-building, a dark-clothed figure sat against the branches of a tree, hiding behind the leaves. His ruby-red eyes glinted in the daylight as he watched the object of his interest, a chocolate haired girl.

Hiei watched the onna read a book, he watched how her fingers would move along the side of each page and he heard the sound of paper when she switched to the next page. The demon boy was slightly curious regarding the blood-relations between the fox and the onna, but those weren't of his concern at the moment. He'd tell the brat later and he'd find out with all his Reikai influence and power. Hiei almost scoffed at the thought. The brat and his prince powers. It was almost amusing.

He looked back at the onna and found her still absorbed into the book. Hiei moved his gaze to the skies, his senses alert and he was watching the onna out of the corner of his blood eyes.

Back to the older Shuichi, we find him preparing to enter the bathroom, conversing with his step-brother.

"Okay, I'll be ready in a few" the emerald-eyed boy assured his step-brother as he entered the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

The raven-haired Shuichi walked out on the balcony.

"Hey, Eri-chan" he greeted and his cousin only nodded her head, not looking up from the book.

"This afternoon dad wants you two to go visit him" this perked the interest of the chocolate-haired girl, as she got her head out of the book and gazed into her cousin's eyes.

"He does?" she asked, her voice barely audible.

"Yeah" the younger boy nodded his head, shoving his hands in the pockets of his now black jeans. Erika noticed he had changed his shirt too and was wearing now a dark blue anorak.

"Then I guess we'll go visit him after school" Erika whispered to her cousin as she got up from the rocking chair. She walked pass the younger Shuichi not sparring him a second glance and entered her room again. The dark-haired boy sighed as he followed her.

They found the emerald-eyed Shuichi in the room waiting for them.

"Ah, finished talking?" he asked them smiling. Erika nodded smiling back, but she saw a glint in his eyes she hadn't seen before. She didn't pay much mind to it.

"Let's go have breakfast. We still need to get to school and it's already 7" Erika told them and the three went out the door of the chocolate-haired girl's room.

They found the rest of the family, still in their pajamas, sitting at the table and having breakfast. Erika and the two Shuichi's took their sits at the table.

Good morning's were passed between the family members and idles chat went on for a few moments, before Raidon just had to change the normal morning.

"Erika?" he asked for her attention from across the table.

"Hm?" the girl answered as she took a bite of her sandwich.

"I'm picking you after school" he announced and the girl nodded.

"We're visiting **him**, right?" the girl asked, her voice barely audible.

"Yes. Melody can come if she wants to" Raidon told his niece.

"Guess so, but we'd have to get to her school to pick her up" Erika explained.

"I know"

While the two spoke to each other the rest of the people at the table were oddly silent. The older Shuichi and his mother were feeling a little out of place, because they didn't exactly understand what they were talking about. Shiori shifted a little in her chair as she took another bite of some food she had on the plate in front of her.

"So, Erika, you and Shuichi go to the same school, right?" Lilly asked her daughter who shrugged her shoulders before answering.

"I guess so. We didn't exactly pay much attention to each other, did we Shuichi?" when said boy shook his head, Erika continued, "But I think we have a few classes together"

"Yes, I think we do" Shuichi agreed with the coffee haired girl. Now that he thought about it, they did have a few classes together. It was just that they didn't pay attention to each other.

"That's wonderful! You two can go to school together today!" Lilly exclaimed happily and Ashley felt the need to roll her eyes at her mother's silliness.

"Eri-chan?"

"Yeah, Shu-kun?"

"Can I walk with you two till I reach my school?"

"Of course, silly! Who knows what kind of people are on the streets? They might just try and hurt such a pretty boy like yourself" Erika teased and the younger Shuichi's ears went slightly red.

"Erika, stop teasing the poor boy!" Lilly scolded playfully and Raidon laughed.

"Leave the two alone. Really, Lilly, you haven't changed a bit! Even when they were younger you'd scold Eri-chan for teasing the boys" Raidon said laughing, but his step son noticed the stiffness of his shoulders. He saw the same thing in Erika and couldn't help but wonder just what secret did those two share.

"Old habits die hard, Raidon" Taro, Erika's father observed wisely and his brother nodded.

"Dad, uncle, I'm sorry to interrupt your chit-chat, but it's already a little late. We three gotta leave for school" Erika replied and when the table turned to her seat they saw it was empty. The older Shuichi's eyes quickly found the human girl placing three pair of plates in the sink. He again wondered what this girl had so special that he couldn't possible sense her movements.

"Of course, of course, off you go now" Raidon dismissed them smiling.

Erika laughed and went to retrieve hers and the boys' schoolbags. When she came back she kissed her parents' cheeks goodbye and hugged her still sitting uncle. She threw Shiori a cold but polite farewell and her son frowned.

Giving the schoolbags to their respective owners and throwing her own over her head, Erika walked to the door and got her shoes on. After the two boys said their goodbyes, the group of three people went out of the door and down the stairs in a hurry.

Walking down the streets of the city, none were aware of the ruby-eyed demon that followed them.

"Why don't you wear the school uniform?" the older Shuichi asked raising an eyebrow while eyeing Erika's outfit.

"It's pink" came the prompt answer, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"It's not exactly pink" the boy replied eyeing the very pink uniform he was currently wearing and mentally sweat dropped at the mere irony of its color.

"If you say so" Erika giggled in a sing-song voice and both boys laughed.

Soon enough the younger Shuichi left them, taking a separate street so he'd reach his own school. He didn't leave before hugging his beloved cousin and wishing her good luck with the visit.

"It's a nice day" the remaining Shuichi tried to start a conversation when he and Erika resumed their walk to school.

"Indeed, but I'd prefer if the sun would go hide somewhere. It's too sunny for my tastes" Erika replied and Shuichi laughed. "What?" she asked looking at him pointedly.

"Nothing, just that I have a friend that hates sunny days too" Shuichi answered with a smile.

"Oh no, I don't hate sunny days" Erika contradicted and the boy looked at her questioningly. "If you say I hate them it's an understatement. I loathe them" the girl explained and Shuichi laughed again.

Soon enough they both reached the school. As they entered through the gates, Erika being painfully aware of the glares she was receiving from the majority of the female population. Looking at her step-cousin she couldn't help but wonder what was so handsome about him that would make the whole school drool. Sure, he wasn't ugly and his weird features, the flaming long red hair and mesmerizing emerald eyes, made him stand out, but still, people really overreacted.

"You're staring, you do know that, right?" she heard him chuckle and she laughed.

"Sorry, it's just that our dear female schoolmates are imagining that they're ripping my hair out and I was curious of the reason. It seems it is you" she replied calmly and he nodded his head.

"Yeah, I don't even wanna imagine what they're thinking"

"I'd like to see their faces when they find out I'm your cousin" Erika smirked and Shuichi was surprised to see gold daggers burn into the soft brown of her eyes. It was the first time he noticed this change of color.

The school day passed fast for the two teenagers and, luckily enough, Erika didn't have any encounter with Shuichi's fan club, though the luck was for them. The girl with daggers in her eyes mentally laughed as she walked out of school. How much she would have enjoyed telling them that they're cousins and leaving them mouth-opened!

In front of the school she saw her uncle's black cabriolet car. Smiling she ran over there and simply jumped in the passenger seat.

"Hiya, uncle!" she greeted happily and the dark haired man smiled at her.

"Hello, kiddo. Ready to go?" he asked her.

"As ready as I'll ever be"

And with that, Raidon started the engine and the car began moving on the streets. It wasn't a crowded day, but they had to stop at Mel's school first to pick her up, so Erika's uncle had to drive slowly, simply because he had no idea where Mel's school was.

"Here you turn right…yeah here…and you can park now. I'll giver her a call and tell her we're here" Erika directed picking her phone from her schoolbag. Flipping the dark thing open the girl pushed some buttons before putting the phone at her ear, looking all business-like.

"Hey, it's me Erika" she greeted when Mel answered.

"_Eri-chan! I just got out of school. What's up?" _

"I'm in front of your school with my uncle. We're visiting him today and you're coming with me, ok?" she explained.

"_Sure. Raidon-san's here? I hope he's doing okay. Oh, I can see the car!" _

Indeed, Erika saw Mel too and waved at her from the car. Flipping the phone close and placing it back in her schoolbag she waited for her friend. Mel walked over to the black car and sat in the back seat.

"Hello Erika, Raidon-san" the blue-eyed girl greeted with a smile.

"Hello, Melody" Raidon smiled back looking into the mirror as he started driving again.

"Hey, Mel, how are you?" Erika started the idle chat and it continued till Raidon pulled to a stop in front of a hospital.

"Here we are" he declared as he, Erika and Mel got out of the car. After he locked the black automobile he guided the two girls inside the huge building.

There was a reception hall and the old woman behind the white desk greeted all three of them with a sad smile. She knew them so well. The first year they used to come so often people said they lived in the hospital, especially the chocolate haired girl. Now they came weekly, or at a few days and the receptionist woman couldn't help but notice the coldness in the girl's eyes had increased. She was going on, but the accident left visible marks on her.

"Hello" the woman greeted them.

"Hello" the three people said simultaneously.

"Is there any change?" Erika asked, her voice not betraying the hope she felt inside.

"No"

That was the word Erika hated most, the word that kept breaking her heart every time she heard it.

"Oh, okay" she told the old woman before turning to her uncle and Mel, "Would you like to go before me? I think I'll go last this time" she proposed to them and both agreed. Mel was the first to walk down the white hallway to a white door. She opened it and disappeared inside the room.

"You're sad" Raidon commented.

"You expect me to be happy?" she snapped at her uncle who shook his head. "This past days were different" the girl mused softly and Raidon snapped his eyes back at hers.

"How come?" he asked.

"It's as if he's coming back. I can feel him in my head. I don't know if you understand. I don't know if I understand anything myself" the girl explained and the man nodded.

Before they could say anything Mel came out with tears in her eyes. Erika hugged her and Raidon went inside the same room, closing the door behind him.

"He's so still, Eri-chan!" Mel cried in Erika's embrace.

"I know" the chocolate haired girl replied as she let go of her best friend.

"I'm sorry. I must be upsetting you more" Mel apologized wiping her tears away. Erika only smiled as an answer.

The two waited in silence for Raidon to come back and when he did even he looked a little shaken.

Erika was next to walk to the white door. She felt as if someone was calling her and when she opened the door her breath got caught in her throat.

There, on the bed with white sheets, dressed in white, was a boy with his eyes closed. The only sign that he was breathing was the rhythmic way his chest rose and fell.


End file.
